Family cloth - support plz

[bcblondie]

So I decided today, to use family cloth instead of TP. I have tons of extra flannel wipes from DS (made some new ones out of old towels) so I figured heck. Might as well put them to good use. I'm pretty much the only one that uses TP in this house, since I'm the only female....

So I told my DDC from a different website and the first comment was "do you plan to spray off your poopy wipes?" I was like... did you even read my post? I said I was going to use it for "#2's" (at least not yet, do you guys?)

Anyways. It sounded sarcastic and ish so I deleted my whole post. So much for support. Other girls were like "what the" "what happened" but I could care less.

Some friends in a buddy group say more power to me. Which is nice. But can I get some REAL support?! I know MDC is the place to come for all things crunchy.

Love you guys!

[Hedgehog Mtn]

We recently switched (maybe 3 months?) With 4 kids and DH and I we expect it to help our septic quite a bit. DH doesn't love it but I'm working on brainstorming a solution to his issues with it. It's so much better for our budget....we used a lot of TP!!! Better for the environment and we've come up with a super easy cleaning setup.

Nothing but hugs and support here mama!!!!!

[bcblondie]

Congrats on your switch! What's your cleaning set up? Spill!

[broodymama]

I switched during my 3rd pregnancy, when I developed a sensitivity to toilet paper. (Felt like a permanent yeast infection when I used TP, yikes!) I'm so glad I made the switch!

[Hedgehog Mtn]

LOL. We have this compost pail next to the toilet:

http://www.frontiercoop.com/dspCmnPr...20x%207%22%20-

If the link doesn't work (I'm bad at them) google "Frontier Coop Compost Pail" and it should be the top entry.

I love using the pail because it has charcoal filters so smell is never an issue, plus it's stainless steel so if I need to scrub it I can wash it then pour boiling water in if I feel icky about it Frontier sells the filters for it too. When the pail is full I run a small HOT load in my washer, I don't touch anything just dump the pail into it. I drop a couple drops of Tea Tree in there and do a rinse on hot also. When it's done the little kids (even the 2 year old) helps hang them on the bars to dry and when they are dry the kids just load them into a basket that sits on the back of the toilet.

It's a great "I want to help" household job for the little ones and they come out super clean. Because there is a huge amount of water vs a small amount of clothes in each load it get's them very clean. The TT helps a ton too. We wash about 1 load every 2-3 days.

I bought used flannel sheets at goodwill and used the serger to finish the ends. Since I paid maybe 1.00 for the sheet if one gets gross or whatever I can afford to trash it!

[bcblondie]

Red that doesn't sound like fun!

Hedgehog the link does work Yay you did it! lol.
So you don't need to spray off any of the idevidual wipes? That's what I was worried about. Because I have DS's cloth diaper pail right there, and it doesn't stink. (It's sealed but has a few breathing holes) So I figured I could add my pee cloths and it wouldn't stink any more or less, and wouldn't even be an extra load of laundry! (our water and hydro bills are kinda scary, no clue why!)
But anyways. Back to the point. I was worried because I mean, I wash DS's poopy wipes... but not much poop gets on the wipe. I'm able to get 90% of it by scraping it off with his diaper as I remove it... KWIM? But I would think that the amount of poop that gets on the wipe from us adults would be more than that... and would need to sprayed off before being thrown in the pail. And that would almost defeat the purpose.
Or is there not as much as I'm thinking?
I guess every person is probably different...

[Hedgehog Mtn]

We have 6 people using it, DH, myself and a 9,7,6 and 2yo. I would say the *stuff* that ends up on the cloth is minimal. In my estimate it's less than what the wipes have daily on a diapered baby. In a couple weeks when the new one comes I can say for sure LOL.

I do have a diaper sprayer attached to the toilet but I've never used it for the cloths....haven't needed to at all.

I was expecting a much messier experience. The cloths are much dryer and less soiled than CDs and wipes in my opinion. If you can CD the family cloths are nothing in comparison. I say that having 4 kids using them too LOL.

If you have a diaper pail right there I'd totally go for it!!!!

[bcblondie]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog Mtn

We have 6 people using it, DH, myself and a 9,7,6 and 2yo. I would say the *stuff* that ends up on the cloth is minimal. In my estimate it's less than what the wipes have daily on a diapered baby. In a couple weeks when the new one comes I can say for sure LOL.

I do have a diaper sprayer attached to the toilet but I've never used it for the cloths....haven't needed to at all.

I was expecting a much messier experience. The cloths are much dryer and less soiled than CDs and wipes in my opinion. If you can CD the family cloths are nothing in comparison. I say that having 4 kids using them too LOL.

If you have a diaper pail right there I'd totally go for it!!!!

Ok cool thanks! I've been using it for pee for 2 days but I'm going to try it for the other "stuff" as you say. I guess it's just a mental thing, eh? What's the difference, DS's "stuff" or my "stuff"? rofl.

And hey! "No little white pieces left behind!!"

[starrmama]

I totally love family cloth... I have 72 wipes and they get washed with the diapers... I have a nice looking stainless can with a lid and 2 pail liners for it. I don't spray off wipes. Usually there's not enough poop on a wipe to need it... once dd is out of diapers I'll probably just wash them by themselves in a small load every 4 days or so. Yay for not having to buy toilet paper!

[bcblondie]

That's awesome! Someone was saying to me that it was a waste because you have to do extra laundry, so more detergent, water and hydro used. But really, my machine is huge, and DS doesn't go through that many diapers any more, so it's a great way to top up the load, which is actually the most efficient way to run a washing machine. And my detergent is homemade, less toxic and super super cheap! And we hang dry. So she's just makin excuses! haha!

And really, if you DO have so much that it makes it's own load, it's still way better for the environment, and WAY cheaper than flushing all that toilet paper!

[proudmomof4]

I just got inspired the other day by another post here on MDC.
I have a lot of small terrycloth rags - exactly the kind I used to use as "wipes" for my cloth-diapered then-babies. So far, I'm mainly using them for pee only but this already makes a difference here. The Chinese sewage system isn't really great for TP.
So, on the whole: I used CD, combination of tampons and cloth pads for over 10 years for myself, switched to the diva cup last summer, and now I'm reducing TP - doesn't make me a better person but maybe it's a little contribution.

[bcblondie]

I absolutely agree! Like a story I heard, I forget where, where a mom and son were walking on a beach and they came across hundreds of starfish stranded on the beach. The kid starts picking them up and throwing them into the water. THe mom says "what are you doing? you can't possibly save them all?" and the kid replied "nope, but these ones'll make it"

We all gotta do what we can!
I just got my first PPAF and I used up most of my leftover tampons and pads. I will DEFINATELY be getting a diva cup. I bleed so heavy I'm changing them like every hour or 2. *sigh*
Although I'm hesitant to get one because we're ttc now, and you KNOW I'll get pregnant if I buy one, and if I dont, I won't. lol.

[proudmomof4]

Originally Posted by bcblondie

(...)
We all gotta do what we can!
I just got my first PPAF and I used up most of my leftover tampons and pads. I will DEFINATELY be getting a diva cup. I bleed so heavy I'm changing them like every hour or 2. *sigh*
Although I'm hesitant to get one because we're ttc now, and you KNOW I'll get pregnant if I buy one, and if I dont, I won't. lol.

Well, that's a no-brainer then. Go, no run and get a diva cup!

[bcblondie]

Haha I guess so. I wonder if you can return it if it's unopened. Although I guess there will come a day when we are done having kids and I'll be stuck with the miserable witch every month. Ha. That 9 months of pregnancy and year of BF'ing without a cycle were heaven. Let's go back to that.

[bcblondie]

I have a question. I read here
http://greenliving.suite101.com/arti...e_family_cloth
That it's washed with bleach. Is that necessary? I mean, cloth diapers are of course, never washed with bleach (save for the occasional stinkies removal i guess) and they're fine.
Do you think this website just said that to prevent those unfamiliar with family cloth from thinking "ew gross"? Because I'm going to be washing mine with diapers and definately don't want to bleach...

[_ktg_]

congrats on switching!! I'm the only one in my family to use the cloth, but I love it - no white yuck and it just feels nicer to my bottom.

Our set up - We have a diaper sprayer attached to the toliet and clean cloths are in a small decorative bucket on the toilet.

I love to use the diaper sprayer like a bidet - its my own thing, so less poo on the ole cloth.

All used cloths go under the sink in an extra diaper liner bag which is tucked into empty 102oz size can for ease of deposit.

I started my stash with all the little leftover baby washcloths we had all over the house, but I need to add to it so I'll be probably picking up a flannel sheet from GW and cutting it up for use.

[bcblondie]

That sounds awesome. I just put a stash of wipes on the bottom (open) shelf of the medicine cabinet. I should get a cute little basket for it Heck I could make one, with scrapbooking supplies, probably!

You don't wash your wipes with bleach, do you?

[isabchi]

Lost of support over here!!!!

We been using Family cloth for 1 1/2 years. We're a family of four (DH, I, a 4 yo DD and 1 1/2 yo DS that is EC, so he go to the toilet). DH is the only one that's use to toilet paper with himself, but he use FC with the kids. Our total spend in toilet paper is 4 rolls every two months including guest.

[bcblondie]

Originally Posted by isabchi

Lost of support over here!!!!

We been using Family cloth for 1 1/2 years. We're a family of four (DH, I, a 4 yo DD and 1 1/2 yo DS that is EC, so he go to the toilet). DH is the only one that's use to toilet paper with himself, but he use FC with the kids. Our total spend in toilet paper is 4 rolls every two months including guest.

Good job! I was just wondering today how much I'll actually go through, now. The last batch of toilet paper I bought was 20 freaking bucks!! Some random lady convinced me it was the cheapest in the end because it lasts longest. Well I get it home and each roll is indevidually wrapped in plastic! How wasteful is that?! Not to mention they are seriously hard to unwrap
I'm stoked for the money I'm going to save. This coupled with the other little money saving things I'm doing... It's gotta be adding up.

[laohaire]

Hmm... I'm thinking. I have a brand new king size flannel sheet set. I bought it 2 years ago as a Christmas gift for my parents before I remembered they didn't have a king sized bed anymore. I kept it, thinking maybe someone else in the family had a king-sized bed, but nope. Just sitting there in the closet. (No king sized bed here either).

And I have a sewimg machine.

How large pieces?

All I'd need is a pail of some sort.

I am actually pretty bad about laundry, but you know what? I don't care. We don't have to actually throw out the TP. If I'm in a lazy patch and behind on laundry and we run out of wipes, fine, the TP is still there. Then when I get around to doing the load, we can switch back.

I don't even have to convince my DH. I bet if I just sat it out there he'd try it once. Honestly it sounds far more luxurious than the paper. He can use it or not, no matter - and maybe the lack of pressure will let him try